What’s Hot in Premium Beauty: The Latest Trends Breaking at in-cosmetics 2015 - Part Two

Following on from last week’s blog, here's the second part of my review of the key  insights I gained from three days of Marketing Trends presentations at in-cosmetics 2015.

A Greater Focus on Fragrance in Cosmetics is Needed

The importance of fragrance as a key purchase driver is only starting to be realised by many beauty brands. According to Mintel, consumers will often prioritise the smell of a product over other reasons for purchase.

95% of hair launches say nothing about the fragrance of the pack; yet, 42% of US consumers choose hair products on the basis of what it smells like. It looks like haircare brands could be missing a vital sales opportunity.Hair perfumes are bubbling up as a new way for consumers to wear fragrance. Mintel data shows that:

  • 25% of Spanish consumers are interested in perfume for hair

  • 60% of those interested in hair perfume want it to have haircare benefits

  • 21% would pay more for these benefits

Could dry shampoo bridge the gap between haircare and hair fragrance?

Growth in Beauty Devices is Driven by Personalisation and Desire for Efficacy

Beauty devices are a booming market which is adapting to the needs of demanding consumers.According to Datamonitor, 2 out of 3 global consumers use an at-home electrical or battery-powered beauty.

  • 44% for hair removal

  • 35% for hair treatments

  • 33% for body treatments

  • 25% for facials

  • 25% for hand and nail treatments

  • 23% for skin lightening and tanning

Some of the most interesting new beauty devices are as follows:

  • Trophy Skin RejuvadermMD microdermabrasion device – with a diamond tip that promises the kind of results typically obtained from a doctor’s office or spa

  • NuFace handheld facial toning device – that claims to improve facial contour and tone besides reducing fine lines and wrinkles

  • Airbase home use airbrush make-up system – to achieve a flawless airbrush look associated with professional treatments

In Selfridges, The Face Gym takes inspiration from gym workouts, with a workout for the face based on four familiar steps: warm up, cardio, strength and cool down. Inge Theron, founder of The Face Gym, maintains: “Without proper stimulation, face muscles are prone to sagging.”

Trends in Men’s Grooming: Spornosexual to Lumbersexual

Terms used to describe what used to be called simply “New Man” are becoming increasingly more segmented: we’re all familiar with “metrosexual”, but now there's:

  • Spornosexual - with the emphasis on male sexuality and appearance driven by sportsmen

Or

  • Lumbersexual - describing a more rugged and less feminised approach to grooming

Datamonitor note that men are becoming more aware of ageing on appearance, with:

  • 29% of men saying they look old

  • 29% say they feel old

  • More men are considering using anti-ageing products

Opportunity for Innovation: products that focus on skin quality and tone e.g. dark circles under the eyes.Top innovation trends in men’s grooming include:

  • Beard maintenance – as facial hair is grown as a fashion accessory that needs cleaning and styling

  • Male cosmetics – 1 in 5 men say they wear make-up once a month or more

Popular male make-up products include:

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Photo by PVignau